Hand puppet with controllable audio output

ABSTRACT

A hand puppet in the form of a character has a mouth defined in part by top and bottom surfaces movable by the fingers of the user between a position in which the surfaces are in contact and a position wherein the surfaces are remote from each other. A microcontroller is provided with a memory which stores musical sounds. A touch sensor is associated with one of the mouth surfaces. Each time the mouth surfaces are in contact, the touch sensor generates a pulse output signal to the microcontroller input. A sound generator, connected to the microcontroller output, is adapted to play back the stored musical sounds at a speed which is a function of the number of pulses in a given time interval in the output signal. The puppet may take the form of a character. The musical sounds may be associated with the character.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toy in the form of a hand puppet and more particularly to a hand puppet which has an audio output controlled by manipulation of the puppet parts.

2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Hand puppets are well known in the art. Also well-known are electronics in the form of a microcontroller including or coupled to circuitry designed to drive a sound generator to reproduce stored data forming one or a series of sounds in a controllable manner.

However, it is not known to incorporate such electronics in a hand puppet in a manner that allows the user to manipulate the puppet to control the speed at which the sound output is generated. It is not known to enhance the play value of a hand puppet toy by allowing the user to control the speed at which pre-recoded music is played back.

It is also not known to create a hand puppet in the form of a creature with a mouth in which the movement of the mouth of the creature by the user controls the speed at which a pre-recoded song associated with the creature is played back.

The present invention is illustrated by example using a hand puppet in the form of a character known as “Baby Shark” which is designed to playback a pre-recorded song related to the Baby Shark character (the “Baby Shark Song”) at a speed which is determined by the frequency at which the user of the puppet opens and closes the mouth of the puppet.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a hand puppet is provided with a mouth adapted to be manipulated by the hand of the user. The puppet includes sound generating electronics configured to playback pre-recoded sounds at a speed determined by the movement of the puppet's mouth.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the hand puppet is provided having a recess formed of first and second surfaces. The surfaces can be moved relative to each other by the fingers of the user.

A microcontroller including a memory for is provided for storing one or a series of sounds. The microcontroller has an input and an output.

A sensor is associated with one of the recess surfaces and is connected to the microcontroller input. The sensor generates an output signal to the microcontroller which is a function of the number of times the recess surfaces are moved relative to each other in a given time period.

A sound generator is connected to the microcontroller output. The sound generator is adapted to playback the stored sounds in accordance with the sensor output signal.

The puppet takes the form of a character. The recess is the mouth of the character. The first and second surfaces at least partially define the mouth of the character.

The sensor is a touch sensor. The other of the recess surfaces is rigid to provide a hard surface such that the sensor is actuated to generate the output signal when the sensor contacts the rigid surface.

The series of sounds forms a musical composition which could be or include a song, preferably a song which is associated with the character of the puppet.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a hand puppet in the form of a character is provided. The puppet has a mouth defined in part by top and bottom surfaces. The mouth surfaces can be moved by the fingers of the user between a position where the top mouth surface and the bottom mouth surface are in contact and a position where the top mouth surface and the bottom mouth surface are remote from each other.

A microcontroller including a memory for storing a set of musical sounds is provided. The microcontroller has an input and an output.

A touch sensor is associated with one of the top mouth surface and bottom mouth surface and is connected to the microcontroller input. Each time the top mouth surface and bottom mouth surface are in contact, the touch sensor generates a pulse output signal to the microcontroller input. A sound generator, connected to the microcontroller output, is adapted to play back the stored set of musical sounds at a speed which is a function of the number of pulse signals generated by the touch sensor in a given time interval.

Preferably, the set of musical sounds forms a musical composition which is associated with the puppet character. The musical composition may be a song.

To these and to such other aspects of the invention which may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a hand puppet with controllable audio output as described in detail in the following specification and recited in the annexed claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the puppet of the present invention, shown for purposes of illustration in the form of the character Baby Shark, showing the mouth of the puppet in the open position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the mouth of the puppet in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the puppet showing the touch sensor in the upper surface of the mouth, and the connection of the sensor to the case containing the electronics; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the puppet and a block diagram of the electronic components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As seen in the drawings, the invention is a hand puppet, generally designated A, which is formed in the shape of a character shown as Baby Shark for purposes of illustration. However, the invention should not be considered as being limited to the Baby Shark character, as the puppet can be any character or take any form.

The puppet character has a head 10, a torso 12, a tail 14 and “fins” 16 and 18 extending oppositely from the torso and extending from the top of the head, respectively. The puppet is formed of plush material. The material is covered by a thin soft fabric layer.

The user's hand, generally designated B, is received in the head 10 of the puppet, through an entrance opening 20 in the back of the head, as best seen in FIG. 3.

At the front of the head is a recess in the form of a mouth 22. Mouth 22 is defined between a top surface 22A and a bottom surface 22B. Mouth 22 is adapted to be manipulated by the fingers of the user. Moving the fingers and thumb of the user away from each other will cause the mouth of the puppet to open (FIG. 1). Moving the thumb and fingers toward each other will cause the mouth of the puppet to close (FIG. 2).

Each of the mouth surfaces 22A and 22B is formed of a generally planar rigid platform or base covered by a thin fabric layer.

As best seen in FIG. 3, a touch sensor 24 is situated within top surface 22A of the mouth 22 of the puppet, between the rigid platform and the fabric layer. The bottom surface 22B of mouth 22 also includes a rigid platform covered by a fabric layer.

When the top surface of the mouth and the bottom surface of the mouth are moved toward each other such that the surfaces come in contact, the touch sensor will be squeezed between the rigid platform in the top mouth surface and the rigid platform in the bottom mouth surface causing the touch sensor to be depressed. The fabric covering forming a part of the top and bottom mouth surfaces is so thin that it does not interfere with the depression of the touch sensor.

Each depression of the touch sensor causes the sensor to generate a short pulse output signal. Repeated depressions of the touch sensor caused by opening and closing of the mouth by the user in rapid succession will cause the touch sensor to generate an output signal consisting of a series of short pulses.

A wire 26 connects touch sensor 24 to the electronics contained in a case 28 which is situated within the torso 12 of the puppet, see FIG. 3. Referring now to FIG. 4, the electronics within case 28 consist of a microcontroller 30, a power source for the components such as a battery 32, a memory 34 for storing data representing a musical composition, a timer circuit such as a clock 36 and a sound generator including a drive circuit 38 and a speaker 40.

Although the memory 34, timer 36 and drive circuit 38 are shown in FIG. 4 as circuits which are external to the microcontroller 30, those circuits may be incorporated within the microcontroller itself.

The input of the microcontroller receives the pulse output signal from sensor 24. The microcontroller uses the sensor output signal to determine the speed or tempo at which the pre-recorded music in memory 34 will be played back. Thus, the pre-recorded music is played back at a speed or tempo which is a function of how fast the user is opening and closing the mouth of the puppet.

The microcontroller may determine the playback speed of the pre-recorded music in memory 34 by measuring the time interval between adjacent pulses in the output signal or by counting the number of pulses in the output signal which are received within a selected time period. Clock circuit 36 provides the time signals needed to preform the calculation.

The microcontroller uses the calculation to regulate the speed at which the sound generator plays back the pre-recorded musical composition stored in memory 34. Thus, the pre-recorded musical composition will be played back at a speed determined by how fast the user opens and closes the mouth of the puppet.

The output of the microcontroller is connected to a circuit 38 which drives a speaker 40. The microcontroller controls the speed or tempo at which the pre-recorded music composition is played back.

The musical composition stored in the memory 34 is preferably associated with the character of the puppet. For example, a puppet formed to appear like the Baby Shark character might play back the “Baby Shark Song.” A puppet in the form of a puppy might play back “How Much is that Doggie in the Window?”

The basic invention described herein could be modified in many ways. For example, the invention may include a microphone which allows the user to record sounds for the puppet to play back. The user could record words or phrases in his or her own voice or music which could be played while the user sings along.

Alternatively, the output signal from the sensor could be combined with output signals from accelerometers and/or gyros to provide another dimension to the sound generation based upon the position or movement of the puppet. The combined output signals could be used to adjust the pitch, tone, or loudness of the generated sound.

Further, the sounds can be coordinated with the creature which forms the puppet. For example, the character of the puppet could be a frog. When the user moves the frog puppet in small hops, the sound generating electronics of the puppet can be programmed to generate intermittent frog-like sounds. When the puppet is placed on its side, the puppet could produce snoring sounds. If the puppet is thrust forward while its mouth is open, a burping sound could be generated.

In addition, it is possible to use a second touch sensor in the puppet mouth such as in the bottom mouth surface. Other sensors in the interior of the puppet to detect the presence of the user's hand as it is inserted into the puppet such that the puppet could automatically come to life by generating sounds.

The puppet may have arms and legs that can be manipulated by the hand of the user. The exterior of the puppet body can include different zones with touch sensors. Those touch sensors could be actuated by the ends of the limbs for the puppet to generate particular sounds. For example, if the end of the arm of the puppet comes in contact with the puppet in the mouth area, the puppet might emit an “Oh Oh” sound or a yawn. If the ends if the arms touch each other, the puppet might generate a clapping sound.

This interaction between manipulating the puppet's mouth, and sensing position and movement of the puppet, results in an innovative and interesting toy with a great deal of play value.

While only a limited number of preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that many modifications and variations could be made thereto. It is intended to cover all of those modifications and variations which fall within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims: 

I claim:
 1. A hand puppet with a mouth adapted to be manipulated by the user comprising sound generating electronics configured to play back pre-recoded sounds at a speed controlled by the movement of the puppet's mouth.
 2. A puppet adapted to receive the hand of the user having a recess formed of first and second surfaces movable relative to each other by the fingers of the user, a microcontroller comprising a memory for storing one or a series of sounds, a microcontroller input, a microcontroller output, a sensor associated with one of said first and second surfaces and connected to said microcontroller input to provide said microcontroller with an output signal that is a function of the number of times said first and second surfaces are moved relative to each other in a given time period, and a sound generator connected to said microcontroller output and adapted to playback said stored sounds in accordance with said sensor output signal.
 3. The puppet of claim 2 wherein said puppet takes the form of a character and said recess is the mouth of said character.
 4. The puppet of claim 3 wherein said first and second surfaces at least partially define said mouth of said character.
 5. The puppet of claim 2 wherein said sensor is a touch sensor and other of said first and second surfaces is rigid enough to actuate said touch sensor to generate a signal when said touch sensor contacts said other of said first and second surfaces.
 6. The puppet of claim 2 wherein said series of sounds comprise a musical composition.
 7. A hand puppet in the form of a character adapted to receive the hand of the user, said puppet having a mouth defined in part by top and bottom surfaces movable by the fingers of the user between a position in which said top and said bottom surfaces are in contact and a position wherein said top and bottom surfaces are remote from each other, a microcontroller comprising a memory for storing musical sounds, a microcontroller input, a microcontroller output, a touch sensor associated with one of said top and bottom mouth surfaces and connected to said microcontroller input, said touch sensor, each time said top and said bottom surfaces contact each other, generating a pulse output signal to said microcontroller input, and a sound generator, connected to said microcontroller output, adapted to play back said stored musical sounds at a speed which is a function of the number of pulse signals generated by said touch sensor in a given time interval.
 8. The puppet of claim 7 wherein said musical sounds comprises a musical composition associated with said character.
 9. The puppet of claim 8 wherein said musical composition is a song. 